The Roots of Heaven
by Romain Gary
131682370
Rich Flanders's review Jan 06, 2022
This novel, a truly great literary and entertainment achievement, has stayed with me since I first read it decades ago. It is a paean to Nature. Decades ahead of its time, the book is really a legend, an epic tale of one man who sets out against all odds to defend Nature - more specifically, the great elephants - along the way attracting a ragged band of iconoclastic followers. Thrilling and heart-breaking at the same time, the novel is permeated with the understanding that how we treat the animals tells us all we need to know about how we treat our planet and each other. Published in the late '50's, it is as true and prophetic today as it was then. Winner of one of France's top literary prizes, the Prix Goncourt.